Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
Applications for summer 2026 are open.
(Application deadline: January 31, 2026)
The Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) offers a 10-week summer research program for undergraduates in intelligent interactive experiences. A multidisciplinary research institute affiliated with the University of Southern California, the ICT was established in 1999 to combine leading academic researchers in computing with the creative talents of Hollywood and the video game industry. Having grown to encompass over 130 faculty, staff, and students in a diverse array of fields, the ICT represents a unique interdisciplinary community brought together with a core unifying mission: advancing the state-of-the-art for creating virtual experiences so compelling that people will react as if they were real.
Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of ICT research, we welcome applications from students in computer science, as well as many other fields, such as psychology, art/animation, interactive media, linguistics, and communications. Undergraduates will join a team of students, research staff, and faculty in one of several labs focusing on different aspects of interactive virtual experiences. In addition to participating in seminars and social events, students will also prepare a final written report and present their projects to the rest of the institute at the end of the summer.
This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
ICT also offers another internship program, for both undergraduate and graduate students, which requires a separate application, view a list of available positions here. For questions or additional information, please contact reu@ict.usc.edu.
Location and Housing
The ICT facility is located in the Playa Vista community of West Los Angeles, about 10 miles west of the main USC campus, and includes a 150-seat theater, game room, and gym. There are numerous restaurants and stores within walking distance, including the Westfield Culver City mall, and the beach is only a 10 minute drive away. Housing is on the main USC campus in downtown L.A., with a free shuttle between campus and the institute.
Benefits
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- Participate in a unique multidisciplinary community that combines academic research with the creative talents of Hollywood and the video game industry.
- Work with some of the leading researchers in human-computer interaction, virtual reality, computer graphics, and virtual humans.
- Receive a total of $8,650 over the ten week program in a combination of stipend, meal, and transportation allowance.
- Receive university housing for the duration of the program.
- Travel will be reimbursed up to $600 for students living 95 miles or more outside of the Los Angeles area.
Eligibility
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- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required.
- Students must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program.
- Students must not have completed an undergraduate degree prior to the summer program.
Important Dates
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- Applications open: December 2, 2025
- Application deadline: January 31, 2026
- Notification of acceptance begins: February 2026
- Notification of declined applicants: March 31, 2026
- Start Date: June 1, 2026
- End Date: August 6, 2026
How to Apply
Tips for filling out your application:
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- There are two open-ended questions on the application form: a question about academic background and interests, and a personal statement where you can write additional information which you feel is relevant to your application.
- Include an unofficial transcript.
- Provide the contact information of a faculty member who will write a letter of reference, and give your recommender plenty of notice.
Research Projects
When you apply, we will ask you to rank your interests from the research projects listed below. We encourage applicants to explore each mentor’s website to learn more about the individual research activities of each lab.
Natural Language Dialogue Processing
Mentors: David Traum, Ron Artstein and Kallirroi Georgila
The Natural Language Dialogue Group at ICT is developing artificial intelligence and language technology to allow machines to participate in human-like natural dialogues with people. Our systems include virtual humans, robots, recorded real people, and voice and chat systems. An REU student will work on creating, extending or evaluating such systems; analyzing conversational data or collecting new data; or other topics using dialogue data and state-of-the-art machine learning methods. Specific projects can be chosen or defined by the REU student; examples include technology to allow an agent or robot to understand the context of a conversation, take initiative, or sustain interaction over multiple encounters; use of large language models for system response generation; and reinforcement learning of system policies. Previous REU students in the group have been lead authors and had their REU projects published in the proceedings of international scientific conferences.
